Part 6 | Discover Your Calling

What does discovering your calling have to do with fighting depression?

We Need a Reason To Live

I don’t know about you, but I find myself periodically asking questions like “What am I working towards?” “What am I doing here?” “Does all of this even matter?”

I’m an artist, a creator. I have a need to always be building something, whether it’s tangible like a woodworking project, or relational like spending time with family. But I think that desire to build something is actually something deeper… I want to have an impact. I want to go to bed each night knowing that I made a difference. I want to get to the end of my life knowing that I mattered. I need a “why.”

Wake Up With a”Why”

I have a few things that help me get out of bed in the morning. My son, at the time of writing this is 5 years old. I’m his biggest influence in life, which challenges me to show up with my best every single day.

Second is my personal story and experience. This very course is a big motivator for me. I’m so grateful for what I’ve learned about myself and how I’ve learned to handle depression, that it’s formed a deep conviction, where I have to share my story with others, so they can find hope too. Not every day is rainbows and unicorns, but when things get tough, I’m reminded that I have a greater purpose, that I have friends and family who are counting on me.

“What do you do for work?”

While your calling or passions don’t have to be your job, I recognize that the average American spends a third of our lives working. Also, 80% of Americans hate their jobs. These statistics are unsettling, so I thought I’d provide some great tools to help get you to work you love, faster. But, keep in mind that (usually) nothing beats trying new things. We just have to get out there and test things out to see what don’t like doing, leading us to doing what we love.

A Few Resources That’ve Helped Me Along The Way

The Kolbe Score – A personality assessment that helps you understand how to work better – how to discover your unique genius. http://www.kolbe.com/

The Enneagram – “At its core, the Enneagram helps us to see ourselves at a deeper, more objective level and can be of invaluable assistance on our path to self-knowledge.”
https: //www.enneagraminstitute.com/

Here’s a podcast episode I recorded with my boss around what it means to get paid to do what you’re passionate about vs having your job fuel your passions. https://youtu.be/G1a-pV7NbU4

Here’s another video… For people like me who are good at lots of things, but struggle to focus on just one, This talk was something I needed to hear. Why some of us don’t have one true calling | Emilie Wapnick https://youtu.be/4sZdcB6bjI8

Review
We need a reason to live, something to work towards. Passion is the fulllment of joy, not a job or a hobby. What can you do to nd that joy?

Reflect
When you where a kid, what made you the happiest? When you were 12, 17, 22, 30, 40, 50?

Take Action
Make a list of things that bring you fulfillment. Forget about money, for now. Just write. Once you have a good variety, look for areas of overlap and high level themes. Now, look for opportunities to do more of those things, whether it’s through your current job, a new job, a side project, or volunteering.